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What do you think about usage-based pricing?

Most companies here have either a price per megabyte, or you can pay for unlimited data. I think that makes sense. With my current phone, I can't really use all that much data, so I'm happy paying by the megabyte as it still ends up being much less than an unlimited plan.
When I get my first Android, I'll most likely switch to a different plan.

In any case, I think it makes a lot of sense, as long as there's a reasonably priced maximum.
 
I think I remember reading somewhere a lot of Europe did usage based pricing. I'm all for it for the most part, so long as they dont raise the price for unlimited data. I'm comfortable paying $30 right now for the data plan on my account, if it got any higher though - I'd be S.O.L.
 
Usage-based pricing would be a serious roadblock to the development of the smart phone market. Especially as LTE and other technologies roll out, it will become increasingly easy to send and receive lots of data. If companies want to be sure that their new technologies are accepted and adopted by more and more customers, they really should not move toward usage-based pricing.
 
I don't see the problem, as long as it's an option.
It makes sense to have unlimited data for a smartphone, but it doesn't for most other phones. So let people decide depending on their own usage.
Do you use data sporadically? Pay by usage.
Do you use data a lot (smartphone!), pay fixed price for unlimited.
 
Since AT&T appears to be looking at this as a means of curbing heavy use by a handful of users, I can't imagine that pricing for unlimited plans would remain the same, or even in the same ball park. I would expect the cost of unlimited plans to increase by at least 50-100%. Anything less would not provide the curbing effect they're looking for.

In the end though, I think it's unreasonable for carriers to provide tiered data pricing without providing users with the tools and awareness they need to determine and understand how much data they're actually using.
 
Most operators in the UK have whats called a 'fair usage' policy, these kick in when you reach a certain limit (eg 10gigs in Orange's case) - regardless of what data you've received. Clearly, thats a limit - fair use would be to limit Youtube and other media streaming, not data as a whole itself - thats a limit. This shall be my argument when I hit 10gigs.

That said, I fully understand the need for operators to maintain network integrity - if data levels continue to increase, I won't be able to download any data regardless of my 'fair usage policy'.

Some of the solution, in my opinion, lies with the software manufacturers - it needs to be made easier - ie. automatic - to connect to an unencrypted wireless hotspot where available.
 
daviddakota said:
Most operators in the UK have whats called a 'fair usage' policy, these kick in when you reach a certain limit (eg 10gigs in Orange's case) - regardless of what data you've received. Clearly, thats a limit - fair use would be to limit Youtube and other media streaming, not data as a whole itself - thats a limit. This shall be my argument when I hit 10gigs.

That said, I fully understand the need for operators to maintain network integrity - if data levels continue to increase, I won't be able to download any data regardless of my 'fair usage policy'.

Some of the solution, in my opinion, lies with the software manufacturers - it needs to be made easier - ie. automatic - to connect to an unencrypted wireless hotspot where available.
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Its funny, these companies are bringing in BILLIONS a year, and don't want to keep up with the market by upgrading. But the companies that do upgrade, are getting more and more customers, and the old school ATT doesn't like it. I can definitely see ATT going bankrupt.
 
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